1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to planters and more particularly to a planter which is manufactured in two pieces to simplify and reduce the overall cost of the manufacturing process. The two pieces are then assembled to form a decorative planter.
2. Description of Related Art
Planters or flower pots have long been a part of the horticultural industry and are typically used to grow plants, flowers and vegetables in a protected and easily maintainable environment. Planter manufacturers over the years have reaped the benefits of widespread use of planters in homes and gardens and, more recently, have enjoyed a surge in the industry due to the increased use of lighter, more decorative plastics as the material of choice for the planters. These plastics can be formed to have complex patterns and shapes and can be colored to imitate marble, terracotta and concrete planters.
The cost of manufacturing more decorative planters are high due to the complexity of forming the molds and/or extruding the plastic into many of the more desirable patterns and planter shapes. For example, in order to manufacture many of the more complex, i.e., more decorative, planters, manufacturers need to implement manufacturing steps which require rolling and setting/securing the outer decorative rim of the planter against the base to form a uniform-looking planter. As can be appreciated, these additional aesthetic-enhancing step tends to be quite costly and time consuming.
As a result, a continuing need exists for ways to manufacture decorative planters in a more cost effective manner. However, for the most part, many of the known manufacturing techniques are overly complicated, labor intensive and/or require expensive equipment to make the planters. Thus, there exists a need to develop a decorative planter which can be easily and economically manufactured without relying on expensive manufacturing equipment and/or overly complicated manufacturing techniques.
The present disclosure relates to a planter which includes a base having upper and lower portions and a flange disposed about the outer periphery of the upper portion. The planter also includes a collar which is dimensioned to encompass the upper portion of the base and a mechanical interface associated with the collar which is dimensioned to mechanically engage the flange such that the collar and the flange form a decorative rim about the upper portion of the base. Preferably, the base and the collar are annular in shape.
In one embodiment, the collar mechanically engages the flange in a snap-fit manner. For example, the flange may include a lip which projects outwardly therefrom to define a groove between the flange and the lip. The groove is dimensioned to mechanically engage a corresponding rib extending from the collar.
Another feature of the presently disclosed planter includes a brace which holds the collar in engagement against the base. Preferably, the base includes a chamfered section disposed about the outer periphery thereof and the brace biases the collar against the chamfered section to secure the collar in mechanical engagement with the flange, i.e., secure the rib extending from the collar within the groove.
Another feature of the presently disclosed planter includes a plurality of support struts which are disposed about the outer periphery of the base between the base and the flange which provides strength and stability to the decorative rim once assembled.
The present disclosure also relates to a method of forming a planter, which includes the steps of: a) forming a base having upper and lower portions and a flange disposed about the outer periphery of the upper portion; b) forming a collar dimensioned to encompass the upper portion of the base, the collar having a mechanical interface dimensioned to mechanically engage the flange; and c) engaging the collar and the flange to form a decorative rim about the upper portion of the base.
Preferably, at least one of the first and/or second forming steps includes a molding process, e.g., injection or thermal molding. In one method, the second forming step includes a molding process and the engaging step is performed prior to the collar being completely cured which is believed to augment the mechanical interface between the collar and the base.